Is this normal? Only Auto mode available

[rbort]

OK Larry and hybridbear, thanks for the explanation.  Makes sense and is what I thought.  I think maybe the key here is that the engine was run before, the evening before right?  And that's what you mean about it taking hours to cool.  My engine has not run this year past 2 miles worth using 0.12 gallons of gas so its cold all the time there isn't any warm coolant it in to take a while to cool down.

 

I totally understand that (engine takes a while to cool down), I guess I was thinking it was already cold because you haven't used it.

 

-=>Raja.

[larryh]

The garage temperature was in the upper 20's during the day.  It was only in the early morning that the garage temperature fell to 15 F as the outside temperature fell well below 0 F.   An attached garage is significantly warmer than outside so the ICE temperature is going to be well above the outside temperature. 

 

Last night at 7:30 pm, the ICE temperature was 160 F, Transmission Fluid Temp was 94 F, and the HVB temperature was 68 F.   The outside temperature was below 0 F.  This morning it is -8 F.  The car was left outside all night.  There was very little wind. The temperatures 11 hours later were:  ICE temperature was 5 F, Transmission Fluid Temperature was 1 F, and the HVB temperature was 16 F.  So you see how long it takes for things to cool down even outside.

Edited February 27, 2015 at 12:25 PM by larryh

[rbort]

Yeah OK I totally understand that.  But this weekend do a test for me, let the car sit (if you can) for an additional 24 hours unused, so the next morning 36 hours after parking it please tell me what the temperatures are with the car outside (or inside).  I would expect that engine temp would be the same as the outside temp, the same as the TFT temp, the battery temp may be a little bit warmer being inside the car if the sun is out already.  Maybe check it in the early morning before the sun has some effect on the temps.

 

My car the engine doesn't run, so I would expect all temps to be the same as the garage inside temp when I leave home.  And if I go somewhere outside and park outside especially at night, I would expect the engine temp to drop even further, the TFT temp should be up from friction due to driving, but the engine temp not being run at all should be lower.  Of course battery temp will be warmer from usage as well.

 

-=>Raja.

Edited February 27, 2015 at 04:17 PM by rbort

[larryh]

It has now been 36 hours.  The ICE temperature is still 5 F and transmission fluid temperature is still 1 F.  The outside temperature this morning is -3 F. The outside temperature warmed up into the teens yesterday.  The ICE temperature is going to be several degrees warmer than the outside temperature in the morning (unless the outside temperature warms up during the night or it is very windy).  As I have stated before, it takes a long time for the ICE to cool down to the outside temperature. 

Edited February 28, 2015 at 12:47 PM by larryh

[rbort]

OK thanks Larry for the confirmation, things are closing in on the ambient temperature outside.  Also the temperature outside changes faster than the engine and TFT temperature, things take a while to acclimate to the surrounding air.  When the sun comes up the air temperature can rise quicker than the car components temperature as well, but eventually all the residual heat from the last engine run/drive is going to be lost.

 

My engine has only run 0.12 gallons worth for 2 miles this year, I've got 740 miles + if I remember correctly all EV now.  I reset the trip 2 meter on day 1 of this year to keep track of gas burns.  Based on this my car operates EV only even without any residual heat from the engine, in temps between 0 and 20F this month.  Thankfully, I have not had the engine come on at all due to low temps of its coolant or the engine itself.  I never use heat (in EV mode) so I'm sure the coolant is as cold as the outside temperature or close to it if it got warmed up some from the sun.

 

-=>Raja.